Cincy wins award for Corryville Crossings

The city of Cincinnati has received an Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for a $24 million mixed-use development uptown. The award specifically recognized the city for its public-private partnership on the project.

“We recognize the city of Cincinnati for providing successful strategies to promote new paradigms in economic development in this period of global recovery,” said William Best, IEDC chair. “Cincinnati is showing that they are at the forefront of the economic development profession and are using innovative and effective practices that can be replicated in other communities.”

Officials learned of the IEDC award on Tuesday at the council’s annual conference being held in Columbus, OH. IEDC officials say that the awards program is geared to “recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials and the year’s most influential leaders.”

The Corryville Crossings development has been under construction for more than a year. Once completed, the development is expected to create 200 permanent jobs, include a 132-room hotel, retail space, a 219-space public parking garage, and spark additional investment in the Short Vine business district.

The city has partnered with the Uptown Consortium and local developers to help move the project from the drawing board to reality. Project officials also say that creative financing tools like Tax Increment Financing and New Markets Tax Credits were necessary to advance the development.

A Starbucks coffee shop and IHOP restaurant were originally planned for the retail portions of the development before changes in the market that drove both national chains away from the project. The new Hampton Inn and public parking garage portions of the development are expected to be completed later this fall.